Stockholm Syndrome
by Twilo1
Summary: “Just let me leave,” I whispered, voice breaking, as a last attempt, though I knew the answer. “You can’t,” Edward told me. His voice held no sympathy or anger, just stating a simple fact. I couldn’t.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

**I** **dunno. I just got this idea. Read. Reviews would be nice.**

When I really thought back onto this moment, maybe next month or next year, if I even make it until then, I know the one thing I'd remember is fear.

So much fear.

I could barely process anything else. I listened to the wind whistling and the leaves crunching but I didn't hear them. I knew I was screaming, I should've been screaming, but I couldn't hear. Maybe I wasn't. Maybe I'd forgotten how. I tried running and pushing and hitting hitting hitting but I couldn't get away. It did nothing. I was engulfed in complete fear. It numbed everything.

When it happened I was walking alone. _Alone_. I knew I was alone. Alone in the woods. How did he find me? Why did he find me? Why me? What did I ever do?

It all started when I slipped. A tree root got in my path and I stumbled forward. My hand scraped against a thorn on my way down before I got myself straight up again. I winced, looking down as blood trickled onto the thick forest floor. I barely had time to think about if I had a band-aid or if I'd ask Charlie where they were when it happened.

I jumped and fell to the ground when I heard the growl. I was on my hands and knees, digging my nails into the dirt. I didn't breathe. It wasn't really the growl itself that stunned me, just the fact that it was right behind me. Almost right in my ear.

I whipped myself over and sat up, ready to scream, or run, or something. But there was nothing there. I stared into the space the animal or monster should be, but it was empty air. Nothing was there.

And then, somehow, there was.

He just popped there, it seemed. I heard no rustling leaves. No sign of him have coming from somewhere else. Just a blur of color and then he was there. I recognized him immediately, no need to think about it. A kid from the new family. They were quiet in school. I couldn't get his name. One of the new gorgeous kids. And he was crouched down like a lion ready to pounce.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. He was staring at me. His eyes wide. Crazed. Excited. Deadly.

I started to crawl backwards. Grabbing anything in my path to pull myself back, just telling myself to get away get away get away.

I almost didn't see him do it, but he took a blindingly fast step forward.

"No, no, little ma'am, don't go just yet," his voice flowed out smoothly, with a southern accent tinting here and there. I halted in my crawling. His voice captivating me.

I tried to ask what he wanted. I couldn't get my mouth moving. My lips stuck together, my throat closed.

He came closer again, not breaking eye contact. He closed his eyes and breathed in. My face was wet, they were tears, coming out to see what was going on.

"You smell… irresistible," he said, looking at me again. "Your blood…. So, saccharine. I smelt you in class, but there were too many people. Now it's just you and I, Isabella."

I swallowed hard, and it felt like a dry rag being shoved down my throat.

He reached down and grabbed my wrist and I gasped. I felt something twist. Then… _Snap_.

"Stop!" I finally yelled out, shrieking in the pain in my wrist. He stared at me still, his black eyes contrasting his honey blonde hair that fell over his eyes.

"Enough of this," he said, his voice not as alluring now, more demanding. He grabbed the broken wrist and yanked me up. He didn't look like a human. He looked like an animal. An animal crazed with hunger.

He threw me against a tree and I let out a shriek of pain again. He appeared right in front of me again, and with one last look he grabbed my chin and thrust it upward, exposing my neck. I heard a growl in the back of his throat and he moved in.

I was waiting for the pain in my neck, maybe a sudden jolt in my spine, but that wasn't wear it came from.

There was a bang. Something hitting us. It felt like a train, a car, a bus. He wasn't on me anymore. But I couldn't see. I couldn't hear. And my head was pounding and pounding and I could hear my heart thumping and thumping in my ears and then I was falling and falling before my eyes could adjust it just kept getting darker and darker.

My head felt thick and heavy when I eventually regained consciousness. My eyes felt glued closed, and I didn't want to open them. I stared into my eyelids, looking for hidden shapes.

I remembered exactly what had happened when I woke up, so I expected to feel the leaves beneath me. Or be dead.

Instead, it was soft. Probably a couch. I didn't want to open my eyes just yet. But I almost opened them in shock when I could hear voices.

"What the hell are we supposed to do with her, Alice!?" I heard a man yell. I remembered Alice—she was in my Trig class. She looked nice. Why was I here?

"I don't know, Edward! I don't know! When Carlisle and Esme get back we can—"

"We can't wait until they get back! We can't just keep her here!" Edward must've yelled. I didn't remember which boy Edward was, but I could tell already he didn't like me.

"Then we take her home to her father, he's chief of police. He'll get everyone looking for her. They'll look here." Alice said, sounded exasperated. I didn't like how they knew so much about me.

"We can't just let her go. She knows too much. God, Jasper why—"

Silence.

When he spoke again, his voice was no longer a yell. It sounded regretful. "Alice, I'm so—"

"Stop! Just, stop it. We aren't talking about that now." Alice sounded frantic, on the edge of hysterics. _Jasper_. The light bulb clicked. Jasper was the one in the forest. The one who tried to kill me. The monster. And these people were monsters too.

"Maybe we should… I don't know," Alice started again, "keep her here… for now. I can't see what's going to happen with us changing our minds like this so much. I can't make anything out. Go see if she's awake."

"I… can't," he hesitated, "her scent." I froze. That's what Jasper had said. Would Edward try to kill me too?

Alice sighed. "Edward! You are so much stronger than him. You'll be fine."

"No, Alice. It's… stronger than others. I almost couldn't contain myself in the forest."

"Fine. You call Carlisle. Rose and Em will be home soon. And we know telling them will not go over well. I'll go talk to her."

I realized a moment too late that I needed to be pretending to be asleep, so when I jumped back to my previous position that she was already there.

"Good, you're up." Alice said, sounding too cheery for the current circumstances.

I pealed my eyes open and blinked a few times to get rid of the dizziness. She was standing in front of me, her short black hair shaping around her face. She was smiling with bright white teeth and her face was welcoming. Her gold eyes unmoving on me.

There was something off about that picture. A dazzling smiling girl clad in a white dress in the middle of a horror movie.

"I'm Alice." I stared at her. My fingers shook. I clamped my hand into a fist.

She didn't miss a beat. "It's alright, really. We won't hurt you."

_Then why can't I go home?_

But I didn't say it. My mouth stayed clamped. My teeth hurt.

I hated her.

Her head shot up to look behind me then, and I glanced over in a reflex action.

A man about my age, with the gold eyes and bronze messy hair was standing at the bottom of the steps, staring at me. Glaring at me.

I stared at him. And clamped my hand into a fist again.

"Isabella," Alice started, "this is Edward, he's my brother."

I hated him, too.

**That's it so far… I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

**I totally didn't expect any reviews, so thanks so much! I just had to update quickly for you. Keep the advice coming!**

I eventually found out that I was placed in the basement of what I assumed was a very large house. There was only one window in a far away corner that showed a small backyard followed by more thick forest. In the room I was held in, there was simply a huge black futon, a coffee table, a large flat screen TV, and a few pictures and paintings that hung on the walls. I decided that I wouldn't watch the flat screen, even though Alice gave me the remote and repeatedly commented on a show that was currently on. I figured it got the point across that I didn't want to be here. Though I didn't know how long I could stand just sitting here.

I'd been here since three in the afternoon, and it was ten at night right now, if the large grandfather clock in the corner was correct. I knew Charlie was freaking out. My throat caught when I thought of him—waiting for his daughter to get home from school, but she never shows. He most likely had the police out by now and was out himself. I wondered if they'd come here. Or if they'd even find this place in the middle of nowhere. I never even knew it existed.

I felt like I should sleep, but I could barely close my eyes enough to blink. I was completely alert, waiting for the next attack. I wondered more than once where Jasper was, and if he was coming home. I prayed he wasn't.

What if he did? Would he attack me again?

I nearly jumped when Alice came down the stairs again holding a pile of something in her hands.

"Hi, Bella," she said for the millionth time that day. I felt no sympathy towards her. She wouldn't let me leave. Go home. I wanted her to feel terrible.

Is she a monster too? I looked into her eyes, that strange gold color that her brother had as well. I thought back to Jasper's, his black ovals staring me down into the ground. If I really thought about it, they could have been a very dark gold, so dark they turned black.

"Bella, I brought you some pajamas, in case you were uncomfortable." I gaped at her.

"You're holding me hostage, but giving me _silk pajamas_?" I questioned cynically, then bit my tongue. _You aren't supposed to be talking,_ I reminded myself.

She seemed surprised that I spoke as well, and her expression turn down slightly at my words.

She sighed, and sat on the table in front of me. I shrank back.

"I'm sorry," she started, "we don't know what to do."

"Let me go home!" I yelled, shocked at my own volume. I figured if I already spoke once, I might as well finish. "If you don't, my dad will find me. He will. And he'll know it was you and I'll him w-what you are or whatever you are. You'll be arrested."

I was breathing heavily when I finished ranting, not breaking eye contact until I heard a snort behind me. I whipped around, and Edward was standing against the steps watching me.

"Go to hell," I told him. I tried to sound menacing, but I was breaking on the edges. My eyes were growing moist, my voice trembling. I sat back down.

"Oh, the irony," he said, walking towards Alice. He didn't glance at me again. I stared him down anyways.

"Alice, Rosalie and Emmett just got home. They have already noticed her scent. They don't like it, Rosalie especially. We need to go upstairs and explain."

There was a moment of silence in which they just looked at each other. Then, Edward nodded.

"I know. I know you do. I didn't expect anything less."

I blinked. I hadn't heard anyone say anything. _What the _hell_?_

A silent moment passed over again. Edward sighed.

"I… don't know," he whispered. I had to strain my neck to hear him, "I can't hear her. It's very strange. I don't know, Alice! Come, before they come down here themselves."

Alice got up and walked over to me. I shrank back into the couch more, and she put the pajamas next to me on the sofa. Edward didn't move, just glared at me more. I had reason to hate him. Did he really have reason to hate me? What have I ever done to him? I clamped my hand into a fist again.

I waited a few moments until they were clearly back upstairs before I tip toed over to the steps. The steps were a light wood with a beige carpet over top. Everything in the room matched with the carpet somehow. I wondered if they had an interior decorator or something.

I climbed up another step. I had a right to know what was going on, anyways. I sat on the fifth step and listened.

At first I didn't hear the voices, until they got louder. Eventually there was yelling.

"What the hell were you thinking? Bringing her here?! Why didn't you leave her there?!" A girl's voice yelled. Rosalie. I didn't need to think about who they were speaking of.

"She knows too much!" Edward retorted back to her, his voice sounding like a snarl, "She'll tell someone what she saw. I think she knows we're like Jasper."

"Then why didn't you kill her?" I held in a gasp. Rosalie's voice showed no regret at this idea. She seemed angry that they hadn't considered it.

"We should have." I had to strain to hear that, but I did. I dug my fingers into the carpet. I hated Edward. "We can't just drop her and leave again. We did that just barely a month ago. Carlisle wants to settle down somewhat, for Esme's sake."

"Kill her," Rose repeated, her voice cold as ice and hard as steal. A slow shiver rocked down my spine.

"No," Alice chirped, "we can't kill that girl. She did nothing wrong."

"Ugh!" Rosalie yelled, "God, it's all because of Jasper! Can't he just—"

"Rose." A man's voice said, Emmett, I assumed, "stop."

Edward spoke again, "If you want to, Rose, leave. I don't know how long this will be. But we need a plan. The town is surely looking for her by now. I'll call Carlisle and tell him everything. I'm almost sure he isn't able to leave his conference yet. This may be best if we kept this from him," he paused for a moment, "no Rose, you can't go downstairs."

"Get _out_ of my head, Edward!" Rose yelled. "I'm leaving. I won't be around this," she declared, "Em?"

"I'll go with Rose. If you need anything at all, we'll come right back, bro. Just let me know." Emmett said, sounding completely casual about the whole situation.

I had climbed a few more stairs in my attempt to hear clearly, but by now their voices were so quiet I couldn't hear a thing. I tip toed back down to my place on the futon, throwing the pajamas on the ground. I eyed the remote, but didn't touch it.

It was only a minute before Alice came prancing down the steps. My head was getting cloudy with fatigue, but she was as energized as she was five hours ago. Didn't she _sleep_?

I looked up to see that Edward had come down again, clearly against his will. He averted my gaze and stood as far away as possible.

"We need something from you, Bella," she told me.

I let out a humorless, dry laugh.

"Where is Jasper?" I didn't really plan on changing the subject that quickly, but it just came out.

"He… left. He feels absolutely horrible, you must understand that. I am going to go find him soon, tomorrow or tonight."

"What?!" I interrupted, "you're looking for him? Why! He is psycho! He is a monster. He tried to kill me. He was going to kill me—"

Out of nowhere, Edward appeared beside Alice, positioned defensively. It was one of those impossibly fast movements. The same Jasper had had.

I jumped out of the sofa, and backed myself up until I hit a wall.

"Get away from me," I whispered, my voice cracking. "You're just like him, both of you. Just kill me _now_."

For a reason I couldn't understand, Alice looked broken about something. Edward straightened his back, more human than animal now. I didn't move from me spot. I kept pushing backwards, hoping that maybe I could fold myself into the wall and disappear from them.

"We do not want to hurt you," Alice told me. I almost believed her, but Edward was the one I worried about.

"Please let me go home," I whispered, looking at my feet while I spoke. "I'll walk, I'll find my way. You could take me. Just don't hurt Charlie either, or anyone else. I just want to leave."

"I'm sorry," was all she said.

"No you aren't," I stated, looking up. I looked at Edward this time. His expression hadn't changed the whole day, and he simply stared at me. I didn't want him looking down at me.

I straightened my back, releasing my grip onto the wall, and walked back over to the futon and sat down. I felt resigned. I wondered how long it would take me to lose hope completely. I expected nothing from these people. Nothing at all.

I assumed they got the message that I wanted them to leave, because with one last look Alice walked up the stairs. For some reason, Edward stayed behind a moment. He stared at me, looking frustrated and expectant.

I didn't look at him or give him the satisfaction of yelling at him before I laid down on the couch, surrendering to my heavy eyelids. He must have left right after that, because the lights flicked off. I was having trouble falling asleep, thinking about what tomorrow would bring, hating that I had absolutely no clue. I started drifting when I heard music coming from upstairs somewhere in the house. A piano. It was soft enough that I could just hear it, and it wasn't loud enough to keep me from falling asleep. I followed the notes in the sweet melody in my mind until I finally drifted into my deep slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

**Thanks again for the reviews my friends******

**Here ya go**

As I slept, I dreamt.

It was one of the dreams that you know you're dreaming, but you still feel like you're right there.

It was in the forest. The heavy tops of the trees left no room for the sunlight to come through, just darkness pouring over the muddy ground. I wondered why the leaves were being so fussy, and couldn't allow even a little sun. Why did they have to keep it all out?

I couldn't feel the cold, but I knew there was a chill running through the air. Maybe it wasn't the temperature that was causing the chill, but the anticipation for what I knew was coming next.

Dream-Bella still jumped and fell when I heard the growl, just exactly as I had the first time. But this time, when I turned around, ready to meet the hungry black eyes of the blonde Jasper, it wasn't his face who greeted me, but someone else entirely.

He wasn't in the dangerous lion stance that Jasper had been in; instead he was standing up straight. Tense, but still more casual. I followed his pale form up to his flawless face, looking at me. His messy hair played around his forehead and over his ears. I imagined if I asked the trees to let in some of the sun, the light would dance with his hair, bringing out that bronze I had seen earlier. His pale eyebrows furrowed slightly over his beautiful dark gold ovals, showing frustration. He stared at my face, looking for something but not seeming to find it. I asked silently what he was looking for.

He didn't answer.

He walked toward me then, and my legs pushed themselves up to stand with him.

Then, I blinked. And as I blinked, the scene before me changed. In place of Edward, Jasper now stood, wearing the same face I had seen the day before in the forest. He darted over to me as he had done before, and shoved me against a tree. He grabbed my chin, and shoved it up. I waited for the _bang_. For someone to save me, hit Jasper, throw him off, to make it stop. I knew it was coming. It was coming.

It never came.

Instead of someone reaching to pull Jasper and save me, two pairs of arms grabbed mine. Restraining me, allowing Jasper to attack. I saw a flash of black and a flask of bronze.

My veins pulsed. Jasper's cold, hard teeth sliced into my soft neck.

My eyes flew open, staring into the dark ceiling. I caught onto a pattern in the wood, memorizing it as I slowed my breathing. My hands were on my neck, protecting me. I felt for a scar, and nothing was there. I sat up, wiping the sweat from the forehead and cheeks. The blanket was knotted around me, and the yellow pillow I had was no where to be seen.

I tried to remember another dream I had, but nothing came to mind. Why did I have to remember that one? I'd always been one to believe that the dreams you remember are remembered for a reason. But for the sake of my sanity, some dreams are better left forgotten.

I figured it wasn't worth trying to go back to sleep. I looked over to my little rectangle window in the corner, and I could see pieces of light beginning to shine through.

I laid my head back down, planning on just relaxing for awhile, until I heard someone begin to come down the stairs. I shot up. My pulse quickened.

My pulse died down. It was Alice. Again.

I could tell she was about to speak, so I beat her to it.

"Let me leave," I demanded. I was done with asking for permission.

Alice didn't try to hide herself from looking sad. I wouldn't feel bad for her. "Bella, you can't."

"Everyone is looking for me. I need to go back to my dad."

"That's why we came down here." I jumped. It wasn't Alice who had spoken. I turned around, and Edward was standing behind me. I remembered Edward from my dream. How he and Alice held me down so Jasper could attack. I dug my nails into my hand.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my voice under control.

"You need to call your father, and tell him that you are staying with your mother in Phoenix," he told me, sounding annoyed with the whole ordeal.

"That will never work. Charlie will call Renee," I told him.

He said, "We have that taken care of. Alice had some fun. If he calls Renee, the phone call will be disconnected. Charlie will think you're at Renee's, and Renee will think you're here with Charlie. It works perfectly," he smiled crookedly, seeming quite pleased with himself. I wanted to hit him. Or hit something. I'd deal with ripping the pillow once they left.

"Just let me _leave_," I said, more begging this time. I looked to Alice, knowing she was the more compassionate one. I got angry at myself then, realizing how I was beginning to get to know them. I hated it, because I hated them.

"No," Edward said loudly and forcefully, though he knew I was talking to Alice. I stood up, sans of all thought and grabbed something and threw it with all my might at Edward.

It hit him, and simply fell to the ground. His eyes never moved from my face, which was red with anger.

"You just through a pillow at me," he stated, like he couldn't believe what had just happened.

"Well, yes," I yelled back at him, though he hadn't yelled in the first place.

"Why?" he asked in a cynical tone, picking the yellow pillow off of the ground.

"_Why_ do you care _why_?!" I yelled again, and I felt water begin to form behind my eyes, which just made me angrier, "You tell me _why_ I can't go home, you tell me _why_ you brought me here, you tell me _why _Jasper, and now Emmett and Rosalie, left. You tell me _why_—"

But I stopped there, with tears already on my face, as I felt a hand land on my arm. I looked up to see Alice standing there, her face sympathetic and apology written all over it. But I jumped back at the contact, her hand so cold and so unwelcome.

"Don't, touch me," I gasped, falling back onto the couch. The confusion from the past day until now was becoming so much, fogging up my mind. I pulled my knees up and slammed my eyes into my palms, trying to pack in my emotions, but they wouldn't stay.

"Bella, we can't let you leave. People can't know about us, Bella, and you know too much." I let what she was saying soak in, realizing that deep down I already knew this.

"You deserve to get in trouble. To go to jail." I spat at them, letting out a frustrated groan.

"Our point proven," Edward said. I looked towards him, and I had to blink a few times to clear my vision before I could fully glare, but the attempt was weak. I hadn't the strength to release my hate right now.

"Just let me leave," I whispered, voice breaking, as a last attempt, though I knew the answer.

"You can't," Edward told me. His voice held no sympathy or anger, just stating a simple fact. I couldn't.

He walked over to the couch, and sat the pillow back where it was.

"Bella," Alice whispered, so I turned toward her. She was holding a phone out. "Just get it over with now."

I stared at the phone, calculating my chance of running up the steps and finding a window to escape from.

I grabbed the phone instead.

I dialed Charlie's number, my stomach hitching at each button I pressed. I held it to my face as it started to ring.

"Hello?" Charlie answered, and I heard a lot going on in the background. His voice was anxious. My heart clenched.

"Dad?" I whispered.

"Bella!" All the noise in the background stopped, "oh God, Bella, where are you? Are you alright? What happened?"

I took a breath. "Ch-Dad, I'm in Phoenix. With mom. I just, had to visit. I missed her. It was a spur of the moment. I'm sorry I worried anyone. Didn't you get my note?" I asked skeptically. I saw Alice was scribbling something down.

"Phoenix?" Charlie asked, sounding appalled. "I-I tried to call Renee, but something was wrong with the phone line," I glanced towards Alice, "I didn't realize… No, I didn't get a note, Bells. All I knew was that you weren't home, and you never came home, and you never called."

I squeezed my eyes together. My lip trembled. Edward walked casually towards the other end of the room while Alice fidgeted with a bracelet.

"I'm so sorry Dad. It was just- a girl thing," my voice sounded like a question.

"Oh," he said, as if 'a girl thing' somehow satisfied my reasoning, "well, I better go spread the news before anyone else goes looking for you. But Bella, you're missing school."

"I'll be back soon," I told him. I looked up, forcing my gaze into Alice's as I spoke. "I promise."

We said our goodbyes then, as he went to inform the station that I was no longer missing. I told him I loved him. My heart throbbed.

Edward casually made his rounds around the room, and was now back to his usual spot, leaning on the opposite back of the couch from me.

"Well, are you going to starve me too?" I wondered aloud, not looking at either. I didn't want to dwell on that phone call.

"Oh!" Alice popped up, "I'd almost forgotten." She dashed up the stairs.

Edward was looking after her, and shaking his head with an exasperated smile. _He's absolutely gorgeous_, I thought. My chest hurt. He turned to look at me, with that same stare as he had the previous day as well as in my dream. Frustrated and disappointed in some way, like I'd done something he didn't like.

"What?" I asked, then bit my tongue; I hadn't meant to say anything aloud.

He turned back to the stairs just as Alice came back down. "Nothing at all," he whispered, so soft I almost didn't hear.

"Here, Bella," Alice said. My eyes widened at what she was putting on the table. She had carried down a tray, on which was an assortment of breakfast cereals; along with milk, juice, and water. Also some type of sandwich in a zip lock bag, like something Renee would make for me in elementary school before I'd get on the bus.

All the boxes were unopened. All the lids on the drinks still sealed.

I simply stared, mouth slightly open, at the food she was putting before me. Did kidnappings usually work like this? It sure wasn't like this in the movies.

"We'll be gone for lunch, so there's a sandwich as well," she told me, as if looking for my approval.

"Where are you going?" I asked her.

"School," Edward answered. _Right_, I thought, _of course_. I should be in school right now. Instead, I was being held hostage by my classmates while they went to school.

"Eat," Edward said then. I was surprised, I thought he'd rather have me starve to death so he didn't have to bother anymore. I must have had a strange expression on, because he asked, "What are you thinking?"

I stared at him, since when was it anyone else's business what I was thinking? Apparently, I had said that out loud as well.

"I was just…" he started, and then looked away, pursing his lips. I looked away in confusion. Alice sat down on the couch, closer than Edward was. I wondered why I wasn't fleeing, or feeling frightened. They were monsters, or something like that, weren't they? Yet here they were, sitting on the same sofa as me, and I wasn't afraid. There was something deeply wrong with me.

"We need to leave now," Alice said, as her and Edward both stood. Edward quickly walked up the stairs with no glance back to me. _Someone's moody_, I thought.

"We'll come home right after school gets out," Alice told me. "I really am sorry, Bella." I was in such strange circumstances, I thought. My captives constantly apologizing for holding my hostage.

"Bye, Bella," Alice said as she got up and went up the stairs.

I sat there for a few moments as I thought over this mornings events. Usually, my morning routine consists of brushing my teeth and going to school. This was a little different.

I moved to sit in front of the coffee table, and hesitantly poured a bowl of Cheerios. I took a spoonful, and in a minute it was all gone. I grabbed the box and poured another.

As I was eating, I reached over to pick up the remote.

**Reviews are beautiful******


	4. Never Think

**Thanks for whoever messaged me to get off my lazy ass and write more**

**I'm gonna start naming chapters after whatever song I listen to as I'm writing. Because its fun.**

**Here ya go. I'm sorry for the wait. I'm a bitch, I know.**

_Chapter 3_

_**Never Think**_

_-Robert Pattinson_

I didn't know why I didn't think of it earlier. It was so simple, so easy. Maybe it was post traumatic stress disorder or something that clogged my judgment.

I realized it as I was flipping through the channels, hating daytime television. It simply came to me.

_Leave._

It was about 9 in the morning. No one else was in this house, they were busy at school, which wasn't anywhere near this house. All I had to do was leave. Simply walk out; they couldn't be home for hours and hours. Such a simple solution.

I flew up, knocking my cereal over in the process, flying it all over the floor. I didn't care. All I could focus on was leaving, getting out of this hell.

I ran up the steps clumsily, having to catch myself on the railing a few times. I probably sounded like a maniac as I laughed running up the staircase. But really, how dumb could you be? Leaving your captive alone all day. Now I could run and tell Charlie everything. They needed to pay. Did they really think I was so stupid that I would just sit around and wait for them to come back? Anger fumed again in my veins. Yes, they did think that.

I got up the steps and gasped. The house was huge and beautiful. There were few walls other than the ones separating the inside from the out. The open space allowed for sun to come through from every direction. At least, I'd imagine it would, if there was every sun here. Instead the rain beat dreadfully against the huge windows, begging to come inside. The raindrops sounded like rocks as they pounded against the roof. As I walked into another room, I noticed a huge beautiful piano sitting in the middle. I couldn't imagine how beautiful it must sound if it just looked this amazing. Then I realized I'd heard it the other night before I slept, and I ached to touch it. I reached out to play a key.

"You." I screamed, jumping around to the direction of the voice. I hadn't heard anyone inside; the house was silent other than the pounding rain.

I turned around twice before finally I saw her, standing still as a statue in the corner of the room. It was the gorgeous blonde, Rosalie. She wore a smug and disgusted expression. Vicious. My heart pounded in my ears.

"Hi," I tried to say, but I was only able to mouth the word.

Faster than a blink she'd taken a few steps forward, yet still maintained the same pose. I took a clumsy step backward and knocked in to the piano bench.

"I w-was just leaving," I told her in the most casual voice I could muster. I hoped she didn't hear my voice shake as much as I did.

"No, you aren't," she said, moving closer once again. I took another jolt back and, forgetting the piano bench was there, tripped and fell on the ground next to it.

"Pathetic," I heard her mumble, and she continued. "You aren't leaving. Edward and Alice were ridiculous to bring you hear. I'm not letting them continue this."

"Then why can't I just leave?" I tried.

"You know too much. And you know that you do. You know why you're here. What do you think they were planning to do in the end? Let you go?" she laughed, her voice smooth and lovely at the same time dark and slicing.

She came closer again, now only a few feet away. Her dark gold eyes set against her pale face startled me. I tried to crawl backwards.

"You won't stay alive for long," she said, her voice casual. "My siblings are being irresponsible and stupid, keeping you here and alive. It would be much better if I just ended this now. Carlisle and Esme would understand. Alice would get over it. Edward wouldn't care. They just don't want to be the ones to do it." She took another step closer, "I, however, am willing."

I wasn't sure if I was breathing heavily or not breathing at all. They were all monsters. Every single one of these people. Cruel, disgusting, evil monsters. Locking me away until the right time came to kill me.

Suddenly Rosalie whipped her head up, taking her glare off of me for the first time.

"Rosalie, what the hell are you doing?" A voice yelled. It sounded livid, I almost didn't recognize it. Almost.

Edward walked into the room, his jaw clenched and his hair dripping from the rain. Anger bubbled inside of me, even though he had halted my death, at least for a few days or hours or minutes until he decided it was time to kill me.

"Don't you dare get angry with me Edward," Rosalie yelled back, fuming as well. "You two cannot be doing this. You can't keep this human sitting in our basement, Edward. Just kill her. We don't even have to leave; we can chuck her in the woods. They'll think it was a bear. It isn't even your fault, it's all Jasper's. Why do you even _care_?"

"It's our _family_, Rosalie!" Edward yelled, his whole body now shaking with rage. Someone sure had a temper. "Dimmit Rose, we can't just kill her."

"Then what the hell do you plan on doing with her, Edward?" Rosalie shot back.

"We are just keeping her here until we know exactly what to do. Carlisle and Esme won't be back for a little while, they won't even know. Don't you dare try to ruin anything Rose. If you have a problem with this, then leave."

"Edward." I turned around to see Alice standing at the end of the room behind Edward. I wondered how long she'd been there. She was wet from the rain as well. Her expression was angry, but much more controlled than Edward's.

Edward turned around and met Alice's eyes for a moment. "I know, I know! Don't try to blame this on me," he turned toward Alice now, "this is as much your fault as it is mine. I don't want to deal with this _thing_," he gestured towards me, "either. If we just—Rose shut UP!" He yelled, turning back to Rosalie now.

"Then get out of my head Edward, it's not my fault you don't like what I'm thinking. This is ridiculous. I'm leaving." I looked away from Edward to Rosalie, but she was gone. I glanced around the house, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Dammit," Edward said, his jaw still tightly clenched. He looked frightening. "Is she going to tell Carlisle?"

I looked at Alice, who had an extremely vacant look on her face as her eyes glazed over. After a moment she popped her head back up to Edward and met his eyes.

Edward sighed, "Good," he said, "He wouldn't be happy."

During this whole confrontation, I'd been sitting in that same exact position on the ground leaned against the piano bench, digging my nails onto the wooden floor with so much force I was sure my hand would bruise. My eyes were stuck flicking back and forth between Alice and Edward, not sure which emotion to give in to—fear or anger. Every muscle in my body was tight and clenched, refusing to relax.

Alice turned to look at me for the first time. "Bella," she said, exasperated, "You need to understand, you _cannot_ leave."

I gave in to anger. "You keep telling me that! You keep telling me and telling me and it isn't going to make any difference! I _know_ you won't let me leave. I _know_ you are evil monsters apparently trying to ruin my life and Charlie's life. I _know_ that no matter what I do that you won't let me leave, I know that one of you things will end up killing me, and I _know_ that I _hate_ you." I choked back more sobs, trying to keep some of the tears in even though some of them already were pouring down my face. I cried at any heightened emotion, especially anger. "I know all of this. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying. I'm not just going to sit here until you kill me. And don't try to tell me you won't. I'm not stupid." I finished, still glaring at nothing in particular, trying not to look at either of them.

Edward finally turned to look at me. His face was full of disgust. "You know Alice," he said, though he stared straight at me, unblinking, "maybe we _should_ just finish what Jasper started. Clearly, she doesn't care at all that we _saved_ her." He spat, turning to Alice, "I'm going to school. Deal with this."

And he was gone, just as Rosalie was.

Fear started to overcome my anger then. The night with Jasper came back to me, and I thought about Edward and Alice 'finish what he'd started.' A tremble went through me.

"Don't try leaving," Alice said quietly, opposite of the tone of the conversation that had just taken place, "we'll be here if you try to. Just go back downstairs."

And then Alice was gone, too.

I wasn't going to go downstairs. Maybe because I couldn't move, maybe because I didn't want to.

And I wasn't going to try to leave. Because now I'd just given up.

I wasn't sure if I slept at all. Maybe I closed my eyes for a second; maybe I closed my eyes for hours. I didn't know. It must've been about 3pm, because that's when school gets out. I should've been getting home right now. Instead, I sat here, leaning against this damn piano bench, still unable to move.

Alice walked in first, bearing one of her sappy apologetic smiles. It made me sick. She was holding a sandwich, the one I hadn't been able to eat. She walked over and sat it on the ground next to me as she sat on the bench.

"I'm sorry for earlier," she said in that same quiet voice. "Rosalie… she tends to have a different point of view about most things. She doesn't mean badly. She just doesn't want things to go badly for our family."

As she was finishing, a door slammed, and Edward stalked straight past the room into a small room across the hall, and slammed that door as well. All without a word or a glance to acknowledge we were there.

I couldn't help it, I snorted. He was acting like a child. What the hell was his problem? He wasn't the one being held hostage.

"And Edward… means well, also. He has a temper sometimes. You seem to frustrate him."

"Why would_ I_ frustrate _him_? _He_ is the one keeping _me_ here."

"It's complicated," Alice explained.

I bit my tongue before I could argue more.

"Charlie will notice, you know," I told her after a few minutes in silence. "He'll know something's not right, if he doesn't know yet. He'll find a way to reach Renee, and realize I'm not there. Or Renee will call Charlie when I stop emailing her or answering my phone—"

"Oh!" Alice interrupted, taking something out of her pocket, "that reminds me. You're phone."

I gaped at her. "Why do you have my phone? How?" My phone had been sitting on my desk at Charlie's house; I know I didn't bring it here.

She ignored my question entirely and continued, "Charlie and Renee both called. You need to call them both, I'm making sure they both won't be in contact with each other so you can tell Charlie you're with Renee and Renee you're with Charlie."

"No," I cut her off, turning towards her, "No. What if I just say no? You can't make me call. I'm _not_ doing that again."

She sighed. "Bella, if you don't, they'll keep worrying. You don't want them to worry, I know you don't."

She was right, and I hated that fact. She dialed for me and handed it to me as it was ringing; I turned my body around for some sort of privacy.

"Hello?"

"Hi, mom."

"Oh Bella!" she said, and I could almost hear her smile. "You haven't returned my emails or calls! I've been worried."

"It's fine, mom," I worked hard to control my voice. "My email hasn't been working, and I've just been really busy."

"Of course you've been sweetie! How are you? I'm great, Phil's great. He just…"

She went on to talk about Phil and their house and her new yoga class. I tried to pay attention, but couldn't only think about if I'd see her again.

I made an excuse to say our goodbyes and hung up quickly before she could hear my voice shake. I closed the phone and let tears fall, turning around and shielding my face away from my captors.

"I'm sorry," Alice said. I ignored her but turned back around, whipping the tears off my face.

Edward was standing there, leaning against the wall at the room's entrance; I hadn't heard him come out of the other room. He was staring at me, but his face wasn't hostile as it was before. I stared right back, unable to turn away.

"Would you like something else to eat?" Alice asked, turning my attention back to her.

"No."

"You need to eat something," Edward said. I looked at him again. He had a small half smile on his face. It was completely fake. I wouldn't smile back.

"I'm fine."

"Bella you really should—" Alice started.

"No," I cut her off, "I'll just sleep."

She seemed to give up, so she went into another room. Edward hadn't moved, and he was still staring at me.

I closed my eyes and leaned my back against the piano and my side against the bench. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but it was as good as it was going to get.

I didn't know how long I sat there with my eyes closed, trying to sleep. I fidgeted and tried to clear my mind, but I couldn't. Sleep wouldn't come, and it was all I wanted to do.

I felt someone slide onto the bench, Alice, I assumed. I wondered if she came to bring me food or wake me up.

But then I knew it wasn't Alice. A beautiful melody came from the piano, and I could hear his fingers against the keys, something so amazing it sounded impossible to play. It was soft and quiet, and almost like a lullaby. The song playing right in my ears was enough to block out my thoughts and finally allow me to shut up eyes and fall asleep.

**Next up is some Eddie and Bella stuff. Sorry there wasn't more this chapter!**

**Reviews are lovely.**


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